George Fox -- Christian Mystic

The command to go forth to others

On a certain time as I was walking in the fields the Lord commanded me to go abroad into the world, which was like a briery thorny wilderness. When I came, in the Lord's mighty power with the word of life into the world, the world swelled and made a noise like the great raging waves of the sea. Priests and professors, magistrates and people, were all like a sea-when I came to proclaim the day of the Lord amongst them and to preach repentance to them.

I was sent to turn people from darkness to the light, that they might receive Christ Jesus; for, to as many as should receive him in his light, I saw that he would give power to become the sons of God-which I had obtained by receiving Christ.
I was to direct people to the spirit, that gave forth the scriptures, by which they might be led into all truth and so up to Christ and God, as they had been who gave them forth.

I was to turn them to the grace of God, and to the truth in the heart which came by Jesus; that by this grace they might be taught-which would bring them salvation-that their hearts might be established by it and their words might be seasoned, and all might come to know their salvation nigh.

I saw that Christ had died for all men and was a proclamation for all; and enlightened all men and women with his divine and saving light; and that none could be a true believer but who believed in it.

I saw that the grace of God, which brings salvation, had appeared to all men, and that the manifestation of the spirit of God was given to every man, to profit withal.

These things I did not see by the help of man, nor by the letter (though they are written in the letter), but I saw them in the light of the lord Jesus Christ, and by his immediate spirit and power-as did the holy men of God by whom the holy scriptures were written.

I could speak much of these things, and many volumes might be written, but all would prove too short to set forth the infinite love, wisdom and power of God, in preparing, fitting and furnishing me for the service he had appointed me to-letting me see the depths of Satan on the one hand, and opening to me on the other hand the divine mysteries of his own everlasting kingdom.